Scientists Explore ‘Living’ Computers Powered by Brain Cells

Speedy summary:

• In 2022, Australian researchers conducted an experiment connecting a 2D arcade game “Pong” to lab-grown human and mouse brain cells. Thes brain cells learned to play the game by responding to electrical stimulation.
• This research led to the emergence of a scientific field called “organoid intelligence,” which uses living brain cell cultures for computing tasks that are energy-efficient and adaptive.
• Brain organoids (clusters of neurons grown in labs) could revolutionize AI by drastically reducing energy consumption,offering performance that is 1 million to 10 billion times more efficient than current systems.
• Startups like FinalSpark and Cortical Labs already offer commercial access to bioprocessors. These units use living neurons as processing hubs combined with traditional silicon chips for computing experiments and robotic applications like Braille reading accuracy of up to 83%.
• Researchers see immediate utility in testing drugs humanely using patient-derived organoids,avoiding animal testing while advancing treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
• Ethical dilemmas arise as these mini-brains may approach consciousness or pain perception; protocols are being devised by researchers like Lena Smirnova at Johns Hopkins University.

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Indian Opinion Analysis:

The development of “organoid intelligence” represents a possibly transformative leap in both technology and medicine. For India, this innovation underscores key areas for discussion and chance: sustainability, technological leadership, and ethical responsibility. The notable reduction in energy consumption-a pressing global issue-could align well with India’s ambitions toward greener growth amid rising artificial intelligence adoption.

India’s growing presence in biotech research makes integrating such cutting-edge trends strategically vital. Collaborations between Indian institutions working on computational neuroscience or pharmaceutical research could leverage these biocomputing advancements for applications ranging from smarter robotics to precision drug trials tailored specifically to genetic profiles common within the nation’s population.

Ethical regulations will be crucial if these technologies make their way into Indian labs or industries. National bioethics frameworks should evolve swiftly given current debates over organoid consciousness among scientists worldwide-a critical concern as efforts scale alongside possible commercialization.

while this emerging field offers promise across sectors including healthcare automation or climate-pleasant AI solutions, it also challenges existing scientific paradigms requiring foresightful governance mechanisms ahead of widespread adoption.